Signal device



Dec. 1, 1959 w. H. BOOKWALTER 2,915,036

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Jan. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

William H. Bookwa/fer INVENTOK.

BY @Mm Dec. 1, 1959 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 w. H. BOOKWALTER SIGNAL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William H. Bookwa/Ier INVENTOR.

United States Patent SIGNAL DEVICE William H. Bookwalter, Hansville, Wash., assignor of fifty percent to James G. Wasson, Seattle, Wash.

Application January 10, 1958, Serial No. 708,104

12 Claims. (Cl. 116-35) This invention relates to signal devices and particularly to a device which signals in response to rotation in one direction.

There are prior devices for yielding signals when a part is rotated in a particular direction. For example, prior signal devices are constructed and arranged to yield an audible signal when travelling cranes or similar pieces of equipment are moving in one direction. Other inventions are so devised that when a motor vehicle is moving backward, intermittent or continual signals are sounded. The purpose is to warn pedestrians, children playing in or near the street, and other motorists of the approach of the vehicle. This is especially important for truckers handling large trucks with a considerable dead spot in the rear vision. Regardless of how careful truckers are, there are a number of accidents annually caused by a truck or other motor vehicle moving backward, even at a slow, cautious speed, and either an adult or child failing to notice the approach of the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanically simple device which automatically sounds an audible signal when the vehicle to which it is attached moves rearward. This invention places emphasis on the mechanical simplicity of the invention and the complete omission of complicated structural detail and leverage systems.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a device for signalling rotation in one direction, the device having a tube within which an impact member is confinedbut capable of movement. The impact member can travel to one end of the tube when the tube is rotating in one direction, but when the tube rotates in the opposite direction, the impact member is held, only to be released when the tube is caused to rotate in the first-mentioned direction. To achieve this, the invention has two pockets at one end of the tube. One pocket has a wall located in a plane making an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the tube. The other pocket has a wall in a plane which makes an angle larger than an acute angle with the same axis. Both pockets are in registry with the tube. Hence, when the tube is rotated in one direction, for example, a reverse direction, with relationship to movement of the motor vehicle, the impact member enters and remains in the first pocket. Upon rotation in the opposite direction, the impact member enters the second pocket whose wall is arranged at a right angle or obtuse angle with the axis of the tube, and therefore the impact member slides down that wall, enters the tube, and descends. The lower limit of the impact member descent can cause an audible signal to be yielded, as by striking a bell, closing an electrical circuit, etc.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accom panying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a wheel on which one of the signal devices is mounted.

Patented Dec. 1, 1959 v the line 33 of Figure 2, parts being shown in elevation and others in section.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the position of impact members in their tubes when the wheel on which the device is mounted is rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the wheel mounted signal device of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing how the impact member engages the bell to yield an audible signal.

In the accompanying drawings, there is wheel 10 schematically representing a part capable of rotating in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Wheel lugs 12 have nuts 14 thereon and their purpose is to hold the wheel onto the hub or axle or brake drum of a motor vehicle or any other rotation-imparting device. Mounting bracket 16 is attached to the wheel lugs 12 and consists of three arms 18, 20, and 22. The arms have flat front parts 24, each provided with a slot 26. The arms have right angularly extending intermediate parts 28 that can be made extensible or of fixed length. Finally, each arm has an inner part 30 with an opening through which the stud 12 is passed. The inner section of the three arms 18, 20 and 22 has the slots 26 of each arm overlapped so that a center bolt 32 can pass therethrough. This center bolt has a nut 34 at its outer end and a spacer 36, such as a sleeve, on the bolt. Bell 38 has a hole in its center and the center bolt 32 is passed through that hole. Spacer 36 abuts the inner surface of the bell and a surface of back plate 40, which. like bell 38, has center bolt 32 passed therethrough. Shim 42 between back plate 40 and the inner section of the three arms 18, 20 and 22 holds the entire assembly slightly spaced from the three arms.

Back plate 40 supports a group of tubes which are arranged in pairs. Tubes 46 and 48 comprise one pair, while tubes 50 and 52 constitute the other pair of tubes. Each tube is of identical construction with the tubes in each pair arranged end-for-end. The tubes in each pair are parallel (Figures 3, 4), but the two pairs of tubes are perpendicular. The four tubes that are illustrated have impact members 47, 49, 51 and 53 freely movably mounted in them. The impact members are preferably steel balls and the tubes are preferably circular in crosssection, although either of these specifications may be altered.

Tube 46 has means 56 at one end for holding the impact member 48 captive during rotation of the wheel supported tube 46 when the vehicle wheel is moving in one direction of rotation. This direction is that corresponding to and caused by reverse operation'of the motor vehicle. These means function to retain the ball substantially or generally fixed (although it is capable of small movement) but release the impact member 47 in response to rotation in the previously mentioned one direction. Structurally, means 56 are constructed of two small sleeves 58 and 60 that enclose and constitute two pockets 62 and 64., The pockets have an arrangement such that their inner confronting ends are in registry with "the passage 66 of tube 46. Pocket 58 has a wall 68 arranged in a plane that forms an acute angle 70 with the longitudinal axis of tube 46. Pocket 64 has a wall 72 lying in a plane which forms an angle 74-with the longitudinal axis of tube 46, that is greater than an acute angle (right angle or obtuse angle).

In operation, when the wheel, and hence tube 46, is

Y rotated in the direction of the arrow of Figure 3, that is,

the vehicle is moving backward, member 47 rests on wall 78 which is common to both pockets 64 and 62. Then as the tube 46 rotates with the wheel, the ball and tube assume the position of tube 50 in Figure 3, and then as the wheel rotates further, the ball 47 becomes seated on wall 72, and due to the angularity of this wall with respect to the axis of" tube 46', the ball rolls down the passage 66 of tube 46.

Door 80 is attached by hinge 82 to the open end of tube 46'. The door is ordinarily held closed by spring 84 that is attached to an end of the door and to an eye 86 or some other kind of bracket on tube 46. The impact of the ballis su'fficient to extend spring 84'(see Figure 5) and permit the ball to pass partially through the'opening 83 in the door 80 and strike bell 38. Immediately thereafter, the spring 34- returns door 80 to itsrest position, thereby lifting the ball 47 from the inner surface of bell 38. As the wheel, and hence the'signal device, continues to rotate inthe same direction, one ball after another in its tube 'will perform similarly, thereby yielding individual audible signals. As inferred previously, some deviation may be made from the construction of the doors'by the substitution of other sound yielding mechanisms which would be operative by impact of the balls.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 showing what happens in the signal device when the vehicle is moving forward, thereby causing the wheel and signal device to rotate in a direction opposite to that shown in Figure 3. When tube 46 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the impact member 47 will move along the wall 78 common to both pockets 64 and 62 and will become seated in pocket 62 in about the position of impact member 53 of Figure 4. Then as the wheel and tube 46 continue to rotate, impact member 47 remains in the pocket 62 even past the over-center position, which would be quite similar to the position of impact member 49 in Figure 4. Upon further movement in the same direction, impact member 47 travels on common wall 78 and again enters pocket 64 at the bottom of the travel of tube 46. Accordingly, the impact member or ball 47 does not strike the bell as long as the wheel and tube 46 that is ultimately carried by the wheel continue to rotate in the same direction.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for identifying one direction of rotation of a part by producing a signal, said device comprising a tube, means mounting said tube for rotation, an impact member freely movably disposed in said tube, impact responsive signal means adjacent to one end of said tube, and means for holding said impact member captive during all rotation of said tube except rotation in said one direction.

2. A signal device actuated in response to rotation in one direction to signify a particular direction of rotation, said device including a tube, an impact member movably carried by said tube, means connected with said tube for retaining said impact member substantially immobile and for releasing said member in response to rotation in said one direction, an impact responsive sound signal means having a part adjacent to said tube and which is adapted to be actuated by said impact member.

3. A signaldevice' actuated in response to rotation in one direction, said device including a tube, an impact member movably carried by said tube, means connected with said tube for retaining said impact member substantially fixed and for releasing said member in response to rotation in'said one direction, said impact member retaining and releasing means comprising a first pocket having 'a'wall' at an' acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said tube, a second pocket in registry with said tube and said first pocket and having a wall at an angle greater than an acute angle with said tube axis, an impact responsive sound signal means having a part located adjacent to said tube and which is adapted to be actuated by said impact member upon release of said impact member by said retaining and releasing means.

4. A rotation direction signifying device for rendering an audible signal in response to rotation of a wheel in one direction, said device comprising a plurality of tubes, an impact member in each of said tubes, means connected with each tube for retaining said impact member while said tube is being rotated in one direction and for releasing said impact member when said tube is rotated in an opposite direction, an impact responsive sound signal means having a part located adjacent to said tube and which is adapted to be actuated by said impact member upon release of said impact member by said retaining and releasing means.

5. A rotation direction signifying device for rendering an audible signal in response to rotation of a wheel in one direction, said device comprising a plurality of tubes, an impact member in each of said tubes, means connected with each tube for retaining said impact member while said tube is being rotated in one direction and for releasing said' impact member when said tube is rotated in an opposite direction,and a sounding element located adjacent to said tube and in the path of travel of said impact member to provide a sound signal upon impact.

6. A rotation direction signifying device for rendering an audible signal in response to rotation of a wheel in one direction, said device comprising a plurality of tubes, an impact member in each of said tubes, means connected with each tube for retaining said impact member while said tube is being rotated in one direction and for releasing said impact member when said tube is rotated in an opposite direction, a sounding element located adjacent to said tube and in the path of travel of said impact member to provide a sound signal upon impact, a yielding member located between the end of said tube and said sound member and in the travel of said impact member, and said yielding member arranged to separate said impact member from contact with said sound member after initial impact.

7. A sound emitting device which generates an audible signal in response to rotation of a vehicle wheel in one direction, said device including a bell, a tube, a structural support on which said tube is mounted and adapted to be disposed on the vehicle wheel for rotation therewith, an impact member carried by said tube, said tube having an opening through which at least a part of said impact member is adapted to pass and strike said bell, and means for restraining said impact member when said wheel is rotating in the opposite direction and thereby preventing said impact member from contacting said bell.

8. A sound emitting device which generates an audible signal in response to rotation of a vehicle wheel in one direction, said deviceincluding a bell, a tube, a structural support on which said tube is mounted and adapted to be disposed on the vehicle wheel for rotation therewith, an impact member carried by said tube, said tube having an opening through which at least a part of said impact memher is adapted to pass and strike said bell, and means for restraining said impact member when said wheel is rotating in the opposite direction and thereby preventing said impact member from contacting said bell, said restraining means comprising a pocket forming structure that is in registry with said tube and that has an inner wall lying in a plane that forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis'of said tube.

9 A sound emitting device which generates an audible signal in'response to rotation of a'vehicle wheel in one direction, said device including a bell, a tube, a structural support on which said'tube is mounted and adapted to be disposed on thevehicle wheel'for rotation therewith, an

impact member carried by said tube, said tube having an opening through which at least a part of said impact member is adapted to pass and strike said bell, and means for restraining said impact member when said wheel is rotating in the opposite direction and thereby preventing said impact member from contacting said bell, said restraining means comprising a pocket forming structure that is in registry with said tube and that has an inner wall lying in a plane that forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said tube, a second pocket forming structure also in registry with said tube and having a wall lying in a plane which forms an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of said tube, to thereby provide a slide for the impact member which directs said member into said tube upon rotation of the wheel in a reverse direction.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein there is a second tube having a second impact member therein, said second tube carried by said support and arranged at an angle to said first tube, and means including pockets for retaining and releasing said second impact member in response to rotation of the wheel in forward and reverse directions.

11. In a signal device for providing an audible signal in response to rotation of a wheel in one direction, the combination of a bell, a support, means for mounting said support on the wheel, a tube carried by said support and having a passage, an impact member movable in said passage and carriedby said tube, said tube passage registering with a part of said bell so that the impact member is movable in said passage and contactable with the bell to sound the bell, a pair of pockets registered with said passage, said pockets having longitudinal axes which are in planes that respectively form acute and obtuse included angles with the longitudinal axis of said passage so that said impact member is retained in one pocket when the wheel is rotated in one direction and released to the other pocket for entry and movement through said passage when the wheel is rotated in the opposite direction.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said means mounting said support on said wheel includes a plurality of arms, and adjustable means connecting said support to said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,630,963 Mortensen May 31, 1927 1,905,261 Bernstrom Apr. 25, 1933 2,495,698 Chilson Jan. 31, 1950 2,655,892 Nanecke Oct. 20, 1953 

